Team USA wins gold vs. Sweden at world junior

USA players celebrate their second goal as Sweden's Linus Arnesson skates by during second period of their gold medal game at the 2013 IIHF U20 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa January 5, 2013. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

CHRIS STEVENSON, QMI Agency

The big defenceman proclaimed the USA the team to beat before the world junior tournament and they delivered a gold medal with a 3-1 win over defending-champion Sweden at the Ufa Arena.

“It feels great. I don’t look like an idiot. My teammates did a great job in this tournament helping me out with that comment,” said Jones, who’s eligible for this summer’s NHL draft and just might go first overall.

The Americans, who have won the last four Under-18 championships, won their second world junior championship in four years and their third overall. The USA’s ability to produce blue-chip prospects has been on the rise the last few years and was emphatically confirmed with Saturday’s victory.